Immigration & Labor: A Yakima Valley farmworker, Flor Sánchez, chose to self-deport to avoid a feared fate after Trump-era immigration crackdowns and detention abuses hit central Washington workers. Wildfire Science: Oregon State University researchers found wildfire smoke can change how American robins behave, adding to growing concern that animals can’t “wait it out” like people. Marine Biology: Scientists warn West Coast soft-shell clams are spreading a contagious cancer in Washington’s Puget Sound, with Oregon facing “low risk” but no dedicated monitoring program. AI & Whales: Researchers used AI to decode sperm whale clicks, suggesting a possible “phonetic” communication system and regional dialects. Oregon Tech/Policy: Oregon’s Secretary of State launched a redesigned website to make elections and public records easier to access on any device. Energy & Data Centers: Portland General Electric raised industrial rates nearly 30% for AI data centers while slightly lowering residential costs. Public Safety Tech: A Volt–Centegix integration aims to speed school incident response by connecting real-time detection to action platforms. Health Policy: ACA Marketplace premiums are projected to rise again in 2027, with Oregon among the states seeing filings. Consumer Protection: Cash App parent Block reached a $45M multistate settlement over alleged fraud-protection and customer-support failures.